Exclusive: Park Sung-hoon discusses playing transgender Hyun-ju on Squid Game 3
Actor Park Sung-hoon has played his share of antagonists' characters that make you grit your teeth and occasionally hurl popcorn at the screen. But in 'Squid Game 3', the Korean star flips the script in more ways than one. As Hyun-ju, a transgender woman who displays remarkable empathy and strength amidst the series' trademark chaos, Sung-hoon delivers a performance that's tender, layered, and full of quiet power.advertisementIn an exclusive chat with India Today, the actor opened up about the challenges and choices that came with portraying Hyun-ju, and what made him say yes when most people turned down the offer. 'So, I did have my concerns and worries being a cisgender actor playing a transgender character,' he admitted. 'I thought it would be a challenge, but I knew that it would help me grow as a person and as an actor," he explained.What makes Hyun-ju compelling isn't just her identity, but the way she navigates the brutal games with unwavering grace. 'I think Hyun-ju being a transgender woman is just one of the qualities that she has,' Sung-hoon said. 'She has other amazing qualities - like she's a selfless person, she cares about others and she has a good moral compass. So, I wanted to focus on those qualities.'advertisement
That emphasis on humanity pays off in one of the most heart-wrenching scenes of the season, where Hyun-ju makes a moral choice that will get fans talking. When asked whether he would make the same decision in real life, the actor didn't hesitate. 'I definitely would make the same choice that Hyun-ju made, because I love kids and I know that the sacred value of life surpasses everything else. And now that I have three, not two friends, I would have run back to them. But one difference that I would have is that after finding the exit and opening the door, I would look back once at the exit maybe,' he remarked.This role marks a significant tonal shift for the 'Queen of Tears' actor, who previously stirred strong reactions as the manipulative Ha Do-yeong in 'The Glory'. 'Because I've been doing a lot of villains lately, I think this was a really nice air-freshening thing for me,' he added with a laugh.When it comes to his personal ranking of roles that have shaped him, 'Squid Game's' Hyun-ju has earned his top billing. 'Ranking first would be Hyun-ju, definitely, and ranking second would be Eun-seong of 'Queen of Tears', and ranking third is a character that I'm currently filming for a Korean TV show called 'Efficient Dating for Singles'.'advertisementAnd as for his fans in India? Park had a special message: 'I want to make the time to definitely go see the Indian fans as soon as possible.''Squid Game 3' premieres on Netflix today. The season has a total of 6 episodes.- Ends
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Time of India
21 minutes ago
- Time of India
Squid Game Season 3: When will new episodes release? Here's premiere date, global release timings, schedule
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Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Top 5 OTT releases this week: Squid Game S3, Panchayat 4, Raid 2 and more
OTT Release this week: It's a blockbuster weekend for OTT fans as multiple highly anticipated shows and films drop across major platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, JioHotstar and ZEE5. Whether you're into suspense-filled thrillers, emotionally gripping dramas, or light-hearted rural comedy, there's something fresh and binge-worthy waiting to be streamed. From Squid Game returning with its deadliest round yet to Panchayat diving deep into Phulera's political chaos, this week's lineup is packed with tension, twists, emotion, and entertainment. So, grab your popcorn – here's your ultimate weekend watchlist: Top 5 OTT shows releasing this week: Form Squid Game session 3 to Raid 2 OTT Release this week (27 june to 4th July) 1. Squid Game Season 3 Genre: Psychological Drama, Thriller Cast: Lee Jung-jae, Greg Chun, Wi Ha-Joon Netflix's Squid Game Season 3 has officially premiered, plunging viewers back into its brutal world of betrayal, sacrifice, and survival. Picking up after the bloody cliffhanger of Season 2, the new chapter follows Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) at his most vulnerable—haunted by a failed rebellion, the death of a friend, and a shocking betrayal. Yet the deadly games show no mercy. As he and the surviving players are drawn into even more perilous challenges, each decision comes with devastating consequences. Meanwhile, In-ho (Lee Byung-hun) resumes his role as the enigmatic Front Man to welcome a new group of mysterious VIPs, while his brother Jun-ho continues his search for the hidden island—unaware that a traitor is among them. 2. Panchayat Season 4 Platform: Prime Video Genre: Political Drama, Comedy Cast: Jitendra Kumar, Neena Gupta, Raghubir Yadav The much-loved rural comedy-drama Panchayat returns with a fresh dose of humour, heart, and village politics. In Season 4, tensions rise in Phulera as Pradhan Ji and Bhushan face off in a high-stakes election showdown. Staying true to its roots, the series continues to deliver its signature blend of warmth and wit, while diving deeper into power struggles and the everyday quirks of rural life. With its relatable storytelling and emotional depth, Panchayat once again strikes a perfect balance between comedy and social commentary. 3. Raid 2 Platform: Netflix Genre: Political Drama, Crime Thriller Cast: Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh, Vaani Kapoor Ajay Devgn returns as the fearless IRS officer Amay Patnaik in Raid 2, a gripping political thriller packed with tension, twists, and high-stakes drama. This time, after a botched raid derails his efforts, Patnaik is reassigned to Bhoj—only to find himself locking horns with the ruthless and influential Dada Bhai, played menacingly by Riteish Deshmukh. When he's suddenly suspended, Patnaik doesn't back down—instead, he goes rogue, risking everything to bring a corrupt political empire to its knees. With intense performances, razor-sharp writing, and a story that keeps you hooked till the end, Raid 2 raises the stakes and delivers a punchy follow-up to the 2018 hit. 4. The Brutalist Platform: JioHotstar Genre: Period drama Cast: Adrien Corbet, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn Directed by Brady Corbet, this striking drama stars Academy Award winner Adrien Brody as a gifted architect escaping the turmoil of postwar Europe in search of a fresh start. Arriving in America with hopes of rebuilding his life, career, and fractured marriage, he finds himself in Pennsylvania—a land of opportunity but also unfamiliar challenges. His talent soon catches the eye of a powerful industrialist, played by Guy Pearce, whose ambition and influence pose a new kind of threat. As ambition clashes with ideals, the story unfolds into a gripping tale of reinvention, power, and survival. The film begins streaming on June 28. 5. Viraatapalem: PC Meena Reporting Platform: ZEE5 Genre: Mystery, Thriller Cast: Abhignya Vuthaluru, Ramaraju, Charan Lakkaraju Set in the eerie backdrop of 1980s Viraatapalem, a village haunted by a deadly curse, this gripping series unravels a mystery steeped in fear and superstition. For over a decade, no weddings have taken place—every bride mysteriously dies on her wedding day. With the village population dwindling to only the very young and the very old, hope seems all but lost. That is, until a fearless police constable (Abhignya Vuthaluru) arrives and refuses to buy into the myth. Joining forces with a reformed convict, she digs into a dark secret the villagers are desperate to keep hidden. The series premieres on June 27.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'Didn't expect this much...': Squid Games Season 3 'heart wrenching' plot twist leaves fans devastated
The fans of Netflix thriller Squid Games have been unanimously sobbing over the events of a season three episode. Netflix dropped the entire Squid Game season 3 on Friday, June 27 and hasn't taken long for subscribers to start binge-watching. Netizens quickly rushed to X, formerly known as Twitter, and they have made it clear that the viewers have been nearly traumatised by the darkest ever season. Fans around the world were ready for some big twists from the series finale of Netflix's smash-hit dystopian thriller Squid Game — but arguably no one saw this surprise coming. ALSO READ: 'Pretty gay, dude': Trump's 'daddy' shirt ignites firestorm as MAGA world explodes, triggers massive backlash by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy the Dip: Top 5 Dividend Stocks with Growth Potential Seeking Alpha Read Now Squid Games Season 3 review In the final moments of the show's last episode, the Squid Game universe suddenly gets a whole lot more global, when the camera jumps to California to find a character played by none other than two-time Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett on the streets of Los Angeles, recruiting potential American players to join what one must assume is a U.S. version of the show's eponymous death game. The third part of Squid Games picks up the storyline from the previous season, where player 456 goes into trouble after leading the rebels. The episodes were released at 12:30 p.m. Live Events Fans have now started sharing and updating about the heartwrenching plot and deaths where they have claimed that 'Squid Game' turned the knotch towards the darker aspects. The users were thrilled to watch their favourite characters on the screen, but equally dejected about the sacrifices by the players donning the green jumpsuits. Following the traumatic episode, fans have been taking to X, formerly Twitter, to express their horror at the heartbreaking scenes, with many sharing crying Gifs. ALSO READ: Jeff Bezos-Lauren Sanchez secret wedding bombshell: Unexpected mega-million prenup and A-list guests snubbed 'Episode 2 of #SquidGame was too much… should've just stayed asleep,' someone wrote. A second agreed: 'Already 2 episodes in on the new season of #SquidGame and wtf episode 2 wrecked me.' A fellow fan wrote: 'Squid Game Season 3 Ep 2 just f****d me up', as another commented: 'On episode 2 and had 5 heart attacks already.' Another user then added alongside a crying Gif: 'The ending of episode 2 was something else.' Another user mourned for their favourite character, and said, 'HYUNJU MY LOVE YOU'LL FOREVER BE MISSED' ALSO READ: Indian-origin Zohran Mamdani faces shocking threat to US citizenship: Can Trump really deport him? Another user warned, 'They said Season 3 would be darker. But we didn't expect this much blood. Are you ready for heartbreak?' One user declared, 'just finished squid game. i can't with this f–king show. you will never catch me rewatching this heart wrenching shit ever again.' A sixth user added to the similar chain of emotions and stated, 'Squid Game S3 just gave me a new trauma.' Another user claimed, 'SECOND EPISODE OF SQUID GAME DOES NOT EXIST TO ME' Squid Game season 3 is available on Netflix.
